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Revitalising Playford through asset management

By David Bernard *

Asset Management is playing a key role in the City of Playford’s revitalisation initiatives. The recently completed Asset Management Strategy identifies key areas for asset affirmative action, where investment in this South Australian City’s assets can act as a stimulus to revitalising the economy and the way the City looks and functions.

It also identifies where investment should be reduced, that is abandoning assets with no part in the City’s future, consolidating others where there is an excess or under use and reducing service levels and expenditure on those with a lower community priority. The Strategy was developed with the input of elected members and staff, with each elected member being interviewed, and taking into account data about asset condition, compliance, functionality, and so forth.

The Strategy is a very brief, high level and user friendly document for universal application. It provides simple descriptive messages about the direction for each category of asset.

Playford is an urban fringe Council in Adelaide and is confronted with a range of different investment demands. Within Playford is the original 1950s/60s Elizabeth satellite city – planned with wide roads, vast open spaces and grand civic buildings – all a soak for expenditure. Add to this the infrastructure demands of new residential developments, with the north being the highest growth area in Adelaide, and a rim of fast intensifying rural areas.

Revitalisation initiatives where the City’s assets are playing a big part include the following.

• The redevelopment of the Elizabeth Regional Centre where the upgrading of City infrastructure and Civic and Cultural facilities will add critical mass to a planned $100 million shopping centreredevelopment to recreate a vibrant City heart.
• The sealing of rural roads to support the burgeoning horticulture industry.
• Urban renewal projects in the ‘Peachey Belt’ where Council is creating new linear parks, public spaces and streetscapes to support public/private housing initiatives.
• The use of Council’s land to attract new community services.

Weaving a thread through all of the revitalisation initiatives is Council’s commitment to better urban design. It is proactive in encouraging all of those who invest in the public and private realms to do so with a heightened sense of style and place.

This is one more dimension to asset management, Playford style, that community assets should not only be functional and in good condition. They are being asked to take the next step – to be interesting, convivial and attractive and to fit together to create a vital place in which to live and work.

*David Bernard is Manager Asset Strategy & Projects at the City of Playford

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